Sunday Morning Uni Watch

By Phil Hecken, on November 10th, 2013

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By Phil Hecken

Well, we had lots of uniform hijinx yesterday in the NCAA (and some earlier this week), including the Texas Tech Red Raiders wearing the helmet you see above along with their “Lone Survivor” costumes which featured the words “Never Quit” for a NOB. Unfortunately, they did, falling 49-26 to KSU.

But the biggest uniform news may not have taken place on the field. No. The bigger news appears to be revolving around this:

The replica jersey being sold by NU and UA (which I believe retails for $75 and of which a mere $7.50 per jersey sold is being given to the Wounded Warrior Project) has sold out. OK, not much of a surprise there, since who wouldn’t want to own a “blood-stained” polyester jersey to support injured combat veterans? But…

…all of the negative press (including that by Paul) surrounding the jerseys has given such bad publicity to the entire endeavor that TMZ reported and Fansided confirmed that UA & NU have no plans to continue selling these jerseys. Surely this will please some and anger others, who now feel that every $7.50 raised per jersey sale is now $7.50 less that will be given to the WWP. Of course, UA & NU could, I suppose, just give a bunch of cash to the WWP without the extra scratch from the jersey sales. Or at least UA could.

I’m not sure how many of these replicas were sold, and it’s possible they could resume selling them after the negative pub subsides. But for now, I guess all those they’ve sold will now fetch big amounts on e-Bay and the secondary market. And I’m guessing any resales won’t be coming with an additional 10% donated to the WWP. Because, after all, it’s about helping injured soldiers and not injured corporate images, right?

Here’s TJ with your…

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Sunday Morning Uni WatchBy Terry Duroncelet

Guess what my emotion was like for the past week-plus? “OMG YOU GUISE!!! PINKTOBER IS OVER!!! PINKTOBER IS O– … *sigh* … Goddammit”. Yes, the U.S. flag has moved from the school flagpoles to their football teams’ bodies. This week’s offenders include (but are not limited to): Middle Tennessee State, UT-San Antonio, Minnesota, West Texas A&M, Utah, Purdue AND Iowa IN THE SAME GAME, Northern Illinois, and probably a mass amount of others that flew under my radar. But seemingly the biggest offender for this week happens to be a smaller school: Lockhaven University decided to kill two birds with one stone (pun FIRMLY intended) by wearing both flag-desecration AND camouflage decals at the same time! So much for my favorite month of the year (h/t to Will Hodge for that tip). Just fast forward me to Turkey Day and be done with it.

• Speaking of Adidas, I didn’t know that Georgia Southern had switched football uniform providers from Nike to Adidas, until I found out about the marvelous throwbacks that they wore for their final FCS home game (could’ve done without the Georgia Southern logo on the left chest, though).

• I already noted that Purdue and Iowa wore flag-desecration decals on Saturday, but what I didn’t mention was that Iowa left one side blank. The left side, specifically. Now all they need are Purdue’s numbers, and they’ll be a perfect college replica of the Steelers. Speaking of the Boilermakers… geez.

• …*sighs* Ya know, I wish that the Maryland State flag had five different field patterns instead of two. There would be SO MANY Quintesson jokes… Also, here’s a thing that I wrote about these uniforms from last year (you’ll have to scroll down some).

• Oklahoma State wore black/black/grey against Kansas, which I don’t think I remember them wearing before. They probably did, and I’m drawing a blank. Not a bad look.

• To everyone’s surprise, Miami came out in grey jerseys that looked to have been made on Nike’s Team Uniform Builder (which I find weird, given that Miami’s supposed to be one of Nike’s marquee schools). They had triple-colored numbers: white base with black(?) and orange trim, and speaking of the numbers, as seen in that photo, the T.V. numbers looked to have suffered from the same shifting problem that Iowa’s quarterbacks had last week. The helmets — in comparison to their usual lids — had no center stripe, the facemask was grey, and the logo was metallic. Not to mention the biggest part of the helmet: the fade at the bottom from white to grey. They wore their usual pants. As for Virginia Tech? No changes apart from the on-again/off-again helmet stripe.

• West Virginia had originally tweeted out that they were going to wear gold/blue/blue for their game against Texas, but that was apparently a smokescreen. I loved the helmets, but… WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WEAR THAT WITH THE MONO-BLUE?!?!?! Ugh. Other notes from this game: apparently, it’s “Horn Up”. Part of his ‘5’ is missing as well. While this may not be as good as the “Deck Maintenance” guy, it comes pretty close. Lastly, remember a previous article where I mentioned something about Russell Haughton-James and his unusual player name? I didn’t have a photo at the time, but now I do (well, Cork Gaines does).

+1 Syracuse vs. Maryland: Do you see what Syracuse’s Brisly Estime is doing in that picture? That’s what this game did to me. The final score was 20-3 and everything about this game was hideous.

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Colorize This!

Occasionally, I will be featuring wonderful, high-quality black and white photographs that are just begging to be colorized.

Just one colorization today, and a small bonus.

Click on image to enlarge.

. . .

Today’s colorization, and of course, a backstory, comes from colorizer extraordinaire, Gary Chanko:

I remember Lenny Moore well. I’m old enough to have watched him play both in college (B&W TV of course) and as a Baltimore Colt. He was among those elite football players that would star in any football era.

Interested in how Lenny acquired the nickname “spats”? He explains the origin in this 1957 newspaper article. And if you’re a Colt fan from that era, you may know Unitas’s preferred nickname for Lenny was “sput.” Refresh your memory about the “sput” nickname with this book excerpt from Johnny U.

So on to the photo and my endeavor to determine the opponent team for the colorization. I made a few educated guesses. First I assumed the time was 1955, Lenny’s senior year. Next, it was a home game and sometime in early autumn based on the tree foliage in the background. Checking Penn State’s 1955 schedule, the most likely choice was an October 15th game against Navy (won by Navy 42-14). A further check of Navy’s 1955 uniform showed a close match to the defensive player sprawled on the field.

One last item to investigate was Penn State’s jersey color. Research discovered the color was a Royal Blue. The color change to today’s darker, Navy Blue supposedly happened in the late fifties. (Download this article “Lion Legend and Lore: The Penn State Uniform” for a complete history.)

. . .

Next up is Joshua Sondelski who isn’t a colorizer but has a bit of colorization for us:

OK, boys and girls, that’s going to do it for this fine Sunday. Most of us will also be enjoying … er, solemnizing, Armistice/Rembrance/Veterans Day tomorrow, so you can bet the NFL will be in full soldier/camo mode today. Can’t wait. Enjoy the games as best you can anyway. Big thanks, as always, to TJ & Catherine (and Timmy for yesterday’s Duck Tracker), and have a great week. I’ll catch you next Saturday.

“Remember in 2003 when Kellen Winslow Jr was in college and he made that ‘I’m a fucking soldier!’ comment and the whole country went apeshit? A football player saying he is a soldier was considered a completely ludicrous metaphor by the media, but more importantly both active military and military veterans were seriously pissed off at him and he later made a public apology. Athletes wearing military camouflage on their uniforms was the furthest thing from everyone’s minds back then.”
–Hungry, Hungry Hipster

51 comments to Sunday Morning Uni Watch

LI Matt|
November 10, 2013 at 7:21 am |

Commentary during Spurs-Newcastle:

“Why do teams need a third kit?”

“So the supporters have to buy three kits.”

arrScott|
November 10, 2013 at 7:33 am |

I see the Packers-colored Vikings logo from that color-swap ticker item every day. That’s the logo of my local high school. Having grown up in Minnesota, it feels like the Twilight Zone every time I see the green-and-gold Vikings logo.

Robert|
November 10, 2013 at 7:37 am |

Actually, only WVU’s helmets were throwbacks, dating from the ’70s. The color combinations then were white/blue/white at home, mono white away. And a different font.

Coleman|
November 10, 2013 at 12:42 pm |

Yes, definitely not a thowback uni, but even on top of that all blue uni the helmet was so cool to see in person. I’ve done half a dozen tweaks on WVU’s unis and I’ve used that helmet most of the time.

Too bad it was over a craptastic uniform, and in a loss to Texas :(

LarryB|
November 10, 2013 at 2:59 pm |

I liked the WVU throwback helmet. But wearing it vs Texas and with all that blue did not look good to me.

Same thing with Minnesota wearing white pants vs Penn States boring all whites.

s|
November 10, 2013 at 8:04 am |

In all seriousness, where has Jim Vilk and Ricko been? Anybody had contact with either of them?

flag football fan|
November 10, 2013 at 7:46 pm |

I heard from Ricko a while ago…he seemed to be doing OK.

Vilk peeks in every now and then. He’s busy, but he’s doing fine.

Coach Wisnewski|
November 10, 2013 at 8:59 am |

Holy Moly those Georgia State Unis are Terrific! Love them!

Coach Wisnewski|
November 10, 2013 at 9:28 am |

Sorry, Georgia Southern

Greg Nif|
November 10, 2013 at 9:01 am |

The thing hanging from Alabamas Kenyan Drakes neck appeared to be his gold chain that broke. You can see it fall off on the next play as he was tackled.

Steven|
November 10, 2013 at 9:18 am |

“Nothing really uni-notable about the Stanford/Oregon game…”

What alternate dimension is this?

Clarybird|
November 10, 2013 at 9:56 am |

Who knew Purdue Pete once taught the Rex Kwon Do Method of self-defense?

That OSU/Michigan toilet would be kinda funny, if it wasn’t such a true representation of Buckeye fans. I’d swear there’s more people that are just Anti-Michigan than actual OSU fans. I remember back when the Wolverines lost to Appalachian State, within 3 days the store I work at had a whole rack of App State merchandise, and it sold fairly well.

LarryB|
November 10, 2013 at 2:33 pm |

That can be proven true when reading Ohio State boards or talking to some Ohio State fans. Ohio State could use some help by Michigan winning some games. Them losing does not help Ohio States BCS chances. But many Buckeye fans are so thrilled with Michigan losses.

I want what is best for Ohio State and if Michigan had beat Penn State or Nebraska then fine.

Of course I hate Michigan but I am a Buckeye fan first and foremost.

hgmercury|
November 10, 2013 at 10:20 am |

I am one of the few who likes the University of Maryland football pride uniforms, as an alternate to their regular uniforms. I find the pride uniforms to be unique, I could be wrong but I can’t think of any other schools who have tried something similar to this before Maryland has. The bottom line with those uniforms is that one will either like them or dislike them. Of all the pride uniforms used in the past three seasons the black ones are my favorite.

HHH|
November 10, 2013 at 1:34 pm |

I like them too. Which shouldn’t be surprising since regular UW readers since 2009 know I am obsessed with flags. But like others have said on here they would be even better if the different patterns alternated instead of being on the same side. The fact that the Under Armour guy who worked on the uniforms said they were intentionally put on the same side so it looked like a different uniform depending on which side you were looking at was just bat shit crazy. Sometimes bat shit crazy ideas can be good (even “traditional” designs at one point were cutting edge when they were first created) but this one was just stupid. The patterns should alternate not only to make it a more dynamic uniform, but to more accurately represent the state flag. Case closed.

While I’m on the topic of the Maryland pride uniforms, has anyone else made the obvious (at least to me) comparison of them to the Northwestern Wounded Warrior uniforms? They are basically the Maryland pride uniforms but with the American flag instead of the Maryland state flag. Is this going to be Under Armour’s signature template?

Since it seems like we’re headed that way Under Armour should just get it over with and design pride uniforms based on flags for all the schools they have a contract with. The potential for more outlandish uniforms is enormous! For example, can you imagine a pride uniform for Hawaii based on the Hawaii state flag? Take a look:

Many “spasibo” to Uni Watch for mention of Commie Football hatred for “blackout” uniform! Commie Football is calling for return to traditional colors and unis for all teams. Oh, and is also reorganizing all of college football while doing this. You are hating BCS system? You must come read.

I found this blog after reading an espn piece. First let me say that I have loved this blog from that very first morning. But I’ve come to find a few things a little problematic for my liking(yes i understand it an opinion blog…so i thought i would share my opinion). First, i understand purple isn’t your favorite color. Do u really need to bring it up everytime you talk about a team(yes I’m a Ravens fan). While I personally don’t love the color, I feel you shouldn’t bash every team that wears it simply because of the color. Secondly, how can ANYONE say they like the WVU helmets from yesterday and also have so much outrage from Maryland’s pride uni. It seems to me that almost anything not “old school” or “traditional” is seen as an abomination to uniforms. I sound like a teenager after rereading that last sentence, I know. But I’m 30.(Side note: Why does it seem like most people from NY hate everythingaand anything from MD. Very generalized statement I know but I see it a lots) Lastly, I am a veteran. I LOVE the so call flag desecration unis. I love the fact that (imo) they honor our country and the military I so proudly served. So when I read the blog and read on and on and on about how much they are hated, it makes me sad.It’s one thing to go on national tv a claim “I’m a f****** soldier”. It’s something totally different to honor our military and country. They aren’t the same. I have never shared a comment on this blog so I’m sorry for ranting on this first one. I never like to leave on a sour note so let me tell you why I enjoy and will continue to enjoy uni-watch. I love reading and learning about the history of uniforms. Those colorized photos are amazing. Also, I love being able to keep up with new unis from around the country and the world. Your in depth knowledge and research really shines. So even though I dont totally agree with everything you say(who agrees with 100% of what anyone says anyway), I will continue to read and enjoy your blog. Just thought I’d give my thoughts. Have a great weekend!

Phil Hecken|
November 10, 2013 at 2:35 pm |

First off: WELCOME!

And I can assure you not everyone from New York (which I am and Paul is) hates Maryland. My “SMUW” Quarterback, Terry Duroncelet, is from New Orleans (or close to it), and many of the other contributors are far far from the Northeast. We don’t all share the same opinions, and our ages are spread from young to old. All opinions are welcome, and you made some great points.

But to clarify — it seems to be a common misconception that those of us who abhor the use of flag motifs, camo and other symbolism ON THE UNIFORMS are therefore opposed to whatever those symbols stand for. On the contrary, we (for the most part) believe the uniform, whether it be old, new, modern or traditional, should be free from clutter and devoid of “look at me” patches and affectations. I don’t want to speak for anyone but myself, but I’d rather see (for example) Texas Tech or Maryland or Northwestern in their “regular” uniforms (whatever those are these days) than to crap them up or wear infinite numbers of “alternates.” If teams want to raise money and draw attention to causes, that’s great. Just keep the uniforms as clean as possible. But we’re living in a “look at me” generation, and clearly, the only way to show support for something is to have a big button (or patch or socks or whatever) that says “I care.”

Thanks for all the kind words too — and yes, nobody agrees 100% with what anyone else says or thinks, and that’s why UW is so great — myriad opinions expressed by a well-informed and well mannered community who all come here with a common goal — uni knowledge.

Please continue to share your thoughts on whatever it is uni-wise you like/dislike or whatever!

At least the camo is kept to a minimum. Would hate to see the Mets become the Padres of the Eastern seaboard.

BvK1126|
November 10, 2013 at 4:34 pm |

One thing that I haven’t seen discussed much is how Northwestern’s Wounder Warrior Project uniform is a double desecration of the flag. It violates the United States Flag Code‘s prohibition on using the flag as wearing apparel(4 U.S.C. § 8(d)) or as part of an athletic uniform (4 U.S.C. § 8(j)). This is the violation that most of us are used to seeing when teams use the American flag as their sartorial motif.

Under Armour’s uniform design for Northwestern take it a step further. Under Armour’s response to the criticism that the flag on the uniform looks like it’s been splattered with blood is to say that it’s not blood but rather “inspired by images of actual American flags that have been flown around the world in harsh conditions over extended periods of time.” Even if that’s true, it means that Under Armour is depicting a flag that violated Sections 8(e) and 8(k) of the Flag Code. These provisionos prohibit, respectully, the display of a flag in a way that allows it to be easily damaged and require the respectful disposal of a flag that is no long in a condition fit for display.

BvK1126|
November 10, 2013 at 4:36 pm |

*provisions (not “provisionos”)
*respectively (not “respectfully”)

flag football fan|
November 10, 2013 at 7:41 pm |

There’s no flag on that jersey. There are some stars and some stripes, but there is no flag.

Ummmm… no? Those are simply designs that happen to have blue bases with red and white stripes? Moreover than the apples-and-oranges comparison, you have to be lying to yourself if you truly think that there’s no flag on this costume.

The words ‘flag, standard, colors, or ensign’, as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America.

In other words, anything that’s meant to be a representation of the flag is the the flag. Northwestern’s uniform is a representation of the flag. Therefore, it’s the flag. And Under Armour’s design desecrates it.

The Harlem Globetrotters’ shorts are just red and white stripes, not all that different from the Indiana Hoosiers’ warmup pants. There’s a difference between evoking the flag and wearing an intentional representation of it. The Globetrotters’s uniforms may evoke it, but they aren’t meant to be the flag. Northwestern’s uniforms don’t evoke the flag, they slap you in the face and say, “Hey! Look at this flag we’re wearing!”

Bobby|
November 10, 2013 at 5:03 pm |

Whoops! Yes camo!!

James A|
November 10, 2013 at 6:20 pm |

When the UWFFL site gets to the 30,000 hits mark, will the league produce a special patch or helmet logo?

ChrisH|
November 10, 2013 at 7:20 pm |

The Tennessee NFL team with that navy-over-navy getup made Jacksonville look good for once.

Danny|
November 10, 2013 at 9:02 pm |

Those sleeved basketball jerseys are okay but then the Christmas Day jerseys are not so good. Look too much like soccer kits with the enlarged logo.

John|
November 11, 2013 at 9:31 am |

Uniwatch is the first place I saw the call for the Redskins to change their brand. This was about 2/12 yrs ago. I cant believe how much steam its picked up.

Someone asked me if the name “Redskins” is racist. Is it as simple as hypothetically having a team called the “Blacks” and a profile as a black man as their logo?

Andrew Y|
November 11, 2013 at 9:32 am |

Huge Canes fan but man were those jerseys awful Saturday night. Helmets a close second. By my count this is the 3rd time we’ve worn Nike specials at home and lost winnable games where we were favored. Hate to blame someone else, but there maybe something to the players focusing on what they are wearing instead of doing their jobs

Adam|
November 11, 2013 at 12:23 pm |

It is Lock Haven University, not Lockhaven University.

David|
November 12, 2013 at 5:47 pm |

Catherine Ryan you are not too swift. Why do you and your boss love white football jerseys over dark pants? It is NOT a good look. It sucks. REALLY SUCKS.